How to Save Money on your Camping Trip

Camping is a great frugal summer vacation option. Often much cheaper than a trip to a theme park or a road trip while still giving you plenty of time to step away from it all and even help you find the opportunity to connect as a family. Still camping costs can add up fast. These simple tips to save money on your camping trip can help lower the cost so you can make the most of your vacation budget.

I have just booked a brilliant deal camping at a pop up festival vibe type place and I cannot wait. We are going with friends for a few nights and it will be so cool. Look for alternative venues if you want to save money on your camping trip. We are staying in a rural retreat rather than by the sea for example.

Borrow gear instead of buying

The biggest way to save money on camping is to ask around and see if you have anyone you can borrow your gear from to help you make the most of your camping budget. Items like tents, cots, sleeping bags, coolers, even camping chairs are seldom used outside of camping making them easy to share with friends and family.

If you want camping gear and others in your family do as well you can even go in together on camping gear to ensure that you have what you need without having to foot the bill entirely on your own. no one to split the cost with? Check to see if you have a local camping gear rental site near you so you can just rent the gear you need.

Buy camping gear on sale

At the end of summer into the early fall, you will often find basic camping gear on clearance making for a great option for building a stock of camping supplies to share and pass around with others or to simply build up your supply of camping gear for your families use. Look for deals on cast iron cookware, tents, and sleeping bags along with fun but not necessities like solar lights and tent fans that can help make your camping trip more comfortable overall.

Buy camping gear used

When families upgrade their camping gear the old but still in great shape items often land up for sale on local buy sell trade sites making for a great way to find deals on gently used camping gear. Shop for used gear at resales shops, online sale groups, and even road site yard sales for great deals on common camping items.

Look for a deal on your campsite

Finding a free camping site on government grounds or scoring a deal with your local campground is a great way to save money on your camping trip. For the best results finding a deal on your campsite avoid doing your camping around major holidays or during the peak of the season when everyone else is camping and campsites have no issue filling their openings.

If you are camping with friends, get a campsite big enough for everyone and split the cost of the campsite so no one is paying full price for a spot to put their tent up and sit around a campfire.

Buy food close to home

A great way to save money on your camping trip is to pack food that you are familiar with and you know your family will eat. When shopping for these foods, buy them at the local grocery store back home for the best overall deals. When shopping close to home you know what a good price is and you can afford the camping communities often high lark ups at local stores near the campsite.

Save on entertainment while camping

Look for a campsite that has built-in entertainment opinions like a beach, hiking trails, and other fun odds and ends. Some campsites have waterparks and other big attractions that cost extra on the cost of your campsite. Avoid these to help save money on your camping trip. Focus on cheap and free activities that allow you to spend time in nature and relax even if that is simply setting up a cozy spot in camp with a good book or dragging everyone out for a walk or bike ride on the trails for free.

Use a checklist while packing

While many campsite locations have a gift shop that you can buy things like sunscreen and bug spray in, these can come at a cost. These shops use a large markup to make a profit off of campers that forget everyday odds and ends. Using a checklist when packing to ensure basics like toiletries and first aid kits are fully stocked and ready to go can save you a lot of money on your camping trip.

Don’t buy bagged ice

Instead of using up space in your coolers for bagged ice, you can freeze water bottles and many of the food items you are bringing with you to act as ice for your trip. This will save you money over buying bagged ice that just takes up the space you need and if you go with freezing bottles and even gallons of water you can provide your family with cool clean drinking water during your camping trip as well.